Project description:

A customer in the picture frame / giftware business wanted to increase the quality and the profit margins on their existing silver picture frames, requiring a complete re-engineering of their process and material composition. Our metallurgical expertise at Vincent Clad Metals was contracted to investigate and revamp their production process by developing a suitable composite material for the frame. After consulting with the customer to assess their requirements, we utilized our advanced material knowledge to redesign the part to customer specifications. The existing part was created by gluing silver and aluminum together, an ineffective and wasteful process. Our solution was to produce the frames with a silver clad aluminum, a process that reduced the amount of silver being used for production. Integrity and functionality was ensured with a range of testing methods including metallography for silver thickness, bend testing, and copper break testing.

Turnaround time for this project was 8 weeks, shipping parts to the customer in Italy. Our metallurgical knowledge and innovative use of current technology allows us to bring our customers the most effective material solutions for their applications. To find out more about this clad picture frame overhaul, or the other capabilities available please see the table below or contact us directly.